Automatic processor for offset plates

Claim 2

In a self-contained processor for processing an exposed surface of individual photolithographic plates sequentially and essentially continuously through developing, washing and gumming stages wherein conveyor means is adapted to receive and urge each of said plates under rubbing means in frictional contact with said exposed surface, and drive means is disposed in operative relationship with said rubbing means, said drive means including a first crank arm rotatable about a first axis, a stub shaft mounted on said first crank arm in spaced relation with said first axis and having an axis extending parallel with said first axis, first and second drive shafts, each said drive shaft being mounted in spaced relation with said first and stub shaft axes for rotation about an axis extending transversely of said first and stub shaft axes, each said drive shaft having a crank arm thereon; nonrotatable first and second rubbing means extending parallel with each other and mounted to reciprocate rectilinearly, each on an axis extending in spaced parallel relation with said first and stub shaft axes, first and second direct rod means having ends, one end of each said direct rod means being mounted on said stub shaft, the other end of said first and second rod means being mounted on said crank arm of said first and second drive shafts, respectivelY, in spaced relation with the said axis thereof whereby rotation of said stub shaft about said first axis oscillates said drive shafts about their axis, respectively, means and providing engagement between said first and second drive shafts and said first and second rubbing means, respectively, said last named means including means whereby each said rubbing means is reciprocated in response to said oscillation of said drive shafts, respectively.

Claim 3

The self-contained processor according to claim 1 in which said first and second rubbing means are reciprocated 110* out of phase.

Claim 4

The self-contained processor of claim 1 wherein reciprocation of each said rubbing means is effected by a rocker arm fixedly disposed on each said drive shafts, respectively each said rocker arm having a cam cooperatingly engaged in a cam follower operating each said rubbing means, respectively.

Claim 5

The self-contained processor of claim 3 wherein each said rod means has swivel ends.

Claim 6

The self-contained processor according to claim 3 in which said first and second rubbing means are reciprocated 110* out of phase.

Claim 7

In a self-contained processor having conveyor means for transporting therethrough an individual photolithographic plate so that an exposed surface of said plate is processed sequentially and essentially continuously through developing, washing and gumming stages, a first drive means for oscillating plural rubbing surfaces engaging said exposed surface and a second drive means for engaging and driving said conveyor means, the improvement comprising first and second reciprocable, nonrotatable rubbing means to reciprocate said rubbing surfaces in frictional, sliding contact with said exposed surface, bottle shaker means for holding containers without tipping the fluids used in processing each said exposed surface and stirring the fluids therein by rocking said containers about an axis transverse of their height, said first drive means including a crank arm mounted for rotation about a first axis, a stub shaft mounted on said crank arm in spaced relation with said first axis and having an axis extending parallel with said first axis, first, second and third direct rod means, each said direct rod means having ends, one end of each of said direct rod means journalled on said stub shaft, the other end of said first and second rod means being operationally interconnected with said first and second rubbing means, respectively, to reciprocate said rubbing means, respectively, in response to rotation of said crank arm, and the other end of said third rod being operationally interconnected with said bottle shaker means to rock the containers therein about said transverse axis in response to rotation of said crank arm.

Claim 8

In a self-contained processor having conveyor means for transporting therethrough an individual photolithographic plate so that an exposed surface of said plate is processed sequentially and essentially continuously through developing, washing and gumming stages, a first drive means for oscillating plural rubbing surfaces engaging said exposed surface and a second drive means for engaging and driving said conveyor means, the improvement comprising first and second reciprocable, nonrotatable rubbing means to reciprocate said rubbing surfaces in frictional, sliding contact with said exposed surface, bottle shaker means for holding containers without tipping the fluids used in processing each said exposed surface and stirring the fluids therein by rocking said containers about an axis transverse of their height, said first drive means including a crank arm mounted for rotation about a first axis, a stub shaft mounted on said crank arm in spaced relation with said first axis and having an axis extending parallel with said first axis, first, second and third direct rod means, each said direct rod means having ends, one end of each of said direct rod means journalled on said stub shaft, the other end of said first and second rod means being operationally interconnected with said first and second rubbing means, respectively, to reciprocate said rubbing means, respectively, in response to rotation of said crank arm, and the other end of said third rod being operationally interconnected with said bottle shaker means to rock the containers therein about said transverse axis in response to rotation of said crank arm.

Claim 9

The processor according to claim 6 in which said first and second direct rod means are operationally interconnected with said first and second rubbing means, respectively, by means including first and second drive shaft means each mounted for rotation about an axis extending transversely of and in spaced relation with said first axis and being interconnected with said other end of said first and second direct rod means and said first and second rubbing means, both, respectively; said interconnection between said other end of said direct rod means and drive shaft means, respectively, being in spaced relation with said axis of said drive shaft means, respectively, whereby rotation of said stub shaft about said first axis oscillates each said drive shaft means about its axis.

Claim 10

A self-contained processor for processing an exposed surface of individual photolithographic plates sequentially and essentially continuously through developing, washing and gumming states, utilizing conveyor means adapted to receive and urge each of said plates under rubbing surface means, said processor comprising: a. first drive means disposed in operative relationship with said rubbing surface means near one side of said conveyor, includiNg i. a crank arm rotatable about a first axis, and stub shaft means disposed on said crank arm in spaced relationship with said first axis, and having an axis extending parallel with said first axis, ii. said rubbing surface means being rectilinearly reciprocable nonrotatably, along a second axis transversely spaced from and parallel with said first axis and said stub shaft means axis to rub said exposed surface; iii. shaft means in operable engagement with said rubbing surfaces means and disposed for rotation about a third axis, spaced from and extending transversely of said first and second axes; iv. rod means having ends, one end of said rod means mounted on said stub shaft means, the other end of said rod means engaging said shaft means and said shaft means oscillating about said third axis in response to rotation of said stud shaft about said first axis, said oscillation of said shaft means reciprocating said rubbing means, and b. a second drive means, engaging and driving said conveyor means.

Claim 11

A self-contained processor for processing an exposed surface of individual photolithographic plates sequentially and essentially continuously through developing, washing and gumming states, utilizing conveyor means adapted to receive and urge each of said plates under rubbing surface means, said processor comprising: a. first drive means disposed in operative relationship with said rubbing surface means near one side of said conveyor, includiNg i. a crank arm rotatable about a first axis, and stub shaft means disposed on said crank arm in spaced relationship with said first axis, and having an axis extending parallel with said first axis, ii. said rubbing surface means being rectilinearly reciprocable nonrotatably, along a second axis transversely spaced from and parallel with said first axis and said stub shaft means axis to rub said exposed surface; iii. shaft means in operable engagement with said rubbing surfaces means and disposed for rotation about a third axis, spaced from and extending transversely of said first and second axes; iv. rod means having ends, one end of said rod means mounted on said stub shaft means, the other end of said rod means engaging said shaft means and said shaft means oscillating about said third axis in response to rotation of said stud shaft about said first axis, said oscillation of said shaft means reciprocating said rubbing means, and b. a second drive means, engaging and driving said conveyor means.

Claim 12

A self-contained processor for processing exposed individual photolithographic plates sequentially and essentially continuously through substantially compartmentalized developing, washing and gumming stages, said processor comprising: a. a first pair of coupled drive rolls adapted to receive a plate therebetween, with the exposed surface of said plate facing upward, and to urge said plate to the developing stage, b. means for applying developer fluid to said exposed suurface in the developing stage. c. a first nonrotatable, rectilinearly reciprocable rubbing means having a resilient first rubbing surface adapted to be disposed in frictional sliding contact with said exposed surface to rub said developer fluid on said exposed surface, said first rubbing surface being reciprocable upon said exposed surface d. second rectilinearly reciprocable rubbing means having a resilient second rubbing surface adapted to be disposed in frictional sliding contact with said exposed surface and spaced apart from said first rubbing surface by a distance less than the longitudinal dimension of said plate in the direction of its travel, said second rubbing surface being reciprocable upon said exposed surface, but out of phase with said first rubbing surface, to offset the torque generated by said first rubbing surface, e. means for applying washing fluid to said exposed surface in the washing stage, f. a second pair of coupled drive rolls adapted to strip excess washing fluid from said exposed surface and to urge said plate to the gumming stage, g. means for applying gum to said exposed surface in the gumming stage, h. third rectilinearly reciprocable rubbing means having a resilient third rubbing surface adapted to be disposed in frictional sliding contact with said exposed surface to rub said gum on said exposed surface, said third rubbing surface being reciprocable upon, said exposed surface, i. a third pair of coupled drive rolls adapted to strip excess gumming fluid from said exposed surface, j. bottle shaker means to agitate containers of said developer fluid and gum reciprocable in simple rectilinear motion in a plane essentially orthogonal to the plane of motion of said first, second and third rubbing surfaces, k. a first drive means, said drive means comprising i. a crank arm mounted for rotation about a first axis, said first axis extending parallel with the direction of reciprocation of said rubbing surfaces, a stub shaft mounted on said crank arm in spaced relation with said first axis for rotation with said crank arm about said first axis, ii. first, second and third rod means, having ends, one end of each of said rod means journalled on said stub shaft, iii. means interconnecting the other end of said first rod means and said first rubbing means to effect rectilinear reciprocation of said first rubbing means in response to rotation of said stub shaft about said first axis, iv. means interconnecting the other end of said second rod means and said second and third rubbing means to effect rectilinear reciprocation of said second and third rubbing means in response to rotation of said stub shaft about said first axis, v. means interconnecting the other end of said third rod means and said bottle shaker means to effect rectilinear reciprocation of said bottle shaker means in response to rotation of said stub shaft about said first axis, and a second drive means, disposed in driving engagement with said drive rolls, to actuate said drive rolls to transport each of said plates through said stages.

Claim 13

A self-contained processor for processing exposed individual photolithographic plates sequentially and essentially continuously through substantially compartmentalized developing, washing and gumming stages, said processor comprising: a. a first pair of coupled drive rolls adapted to receive a plate therebetween, with the exposed surface of said plate facing upward, and to urge said plate to the developing stage, b. means for applying developer fluid to said exposed suurface in the developing stage. c. a first nonrotatable, rectilinearly reciprocable rubbing means having a resilient first rubbing surface adapted to be disposed in frictional sliding contact with said exposed surface to rub said developer fluid on said exposed surface, said first rubbing surface being reciprocable upon said exposed surface d. second rectilinearly reciprocable rubbing means having a resilient second rubbing surface adapted to be disposed in frictional sliding contact with said exposed surface and spaced apart from said first rubbing surface by a distance less than the longitudinal dimension of said plate in the direction of its travel, said second rubbing surface being reciprocable upon said exposed surface, but out of phase with said first rubbing surface, to offset the torque generated by said first rubbing surface, e. means for applying washing fluid to said exposed surface in the washing stage, f. a second pair of coupled drive rolls adapted to strip excess washing fluid from said exposed surface and to urge said plate to the gumming stage, g. means for applying gum to said exposed surface in the gumming stage, h. third rectilinearly reciprocable rubbing means having a resilient third rubbing surface adapted to be disposed in frictional sliding contact with said exposed surface to rub said gum on said exposed surface, said third rubbing surface being reciprocable upon, said exposed surface, i. a third pair of coupled drive rolls adapted to strip excess gumming fluid from said exposed surface, j. bottle shaker means to agitate containers of said developer fluid and gum reciprocable in simple rectilinear motion in a plane essentially orthogonal to the plane of motion of said first, second and third rubbing surfaces, k. a first drive means, said drive means comprising i. a crank arm mounted for rotation about a first axis, said first axis extending parallel with the direction of reciprocation of said rubbing surfaces, a stub shaft mounted on said crank arm in spaced relation with said first axis for rotation with said crank arm about said first axis, ii. first, second and third rod means, having ends, one end of each of said rod means journalled on said stub shaft, iii. means interconnecting the other end of said first rod means and said first rubbing means to effect rectilinear reciprocation of said first rubbing means in response to rotation of said stub shaft about said first axis, iv. means interconnecting the other end of said second rod means and said second and third rubbing means to effect rectilinear reciprocation of said second and third rubbing means in response to rotation of said stub shaft about said first axis, v. means interconnecting the other end of said third rod means and said bottle shaker means to effect rectilinear reciprocation of said bottle shaker means in response to rotation of said stub shaft about said first axis, and a second drive means, disposed in driving engagement with said drive rolls, to actuate said drive rolls to transport each of said plates through said stages.